Portland State football: Questions remain, but Vikings on right track heading into spring game

View full sizeThe Associated PressTCU wide receiver Antoine Hicks (13) is tackled by Portland State linebacker Joel Sisler (42) in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011, in Fort Worth, Texas.

The starting quarterback is TBD. The defensive line still has question marks. The secondary might or might not be better.

But after five weeks of spring football practice, Portland State head coach Nigel Burton believes his team is on the right track to continue building on the success of last year's 7-4 finish.

"Where we are right now versus where we were the last two spring games is night and day," he said.

The Vikings will conclude their spring session with a scrimmage at Jesuit High School at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Without enough bodies to stage a full game, the scrimmage will pit the offense against the defense following a special teams session. Referees will be on hand and points will be awarded to each side for various achievements.

With 70-80 plays, the final scrimmage will resemble the two the team has already held this spring.

"We won't weight it any more than any other scrimmage we've had this spring," he said.

In the team's first scrimmage, the defense dominated and the offense looked confused. In the second scrimmage the offense used a strong ground attack to find more success. Both sides are eager to "win" the final spring showdown.

"We've got to get back to our run-stopping defense and let the secondary play behind us," said senior linebacker Joel Sisler.

Sophomore running back Shaquille Richard said the stakes are high.

"I'm pretty sure both sides will bring it on Saturday but I'm pretty sure the offense has got a little more to prove," he said.

Burton said he will flip a coin to determine the order with which he inserts his four quarterbacks. Sophomore Josh Milhollin has used the spring to improve in the passing game but is likely still looking up at junior college transfer Collin Ramirez in the battle to start next fall. Senior Nick Green and redshirt freshman Thomas Carter are also in the mix.

"All of them have improved from the beginning of the spring," Burton said. "It should be a good competition all through the summer and fall camp."

The spring has also been solid for what looks to be a deep group of running backs. Richard has shown no ill effects from the knee injury that sidelined him last year, redshirt freshman Julian Cruell has continued to open eyes and transfer D.J. Adams looks every bit the bruiser he was advertised.

Defensively, everything continues to revolve around the deep group of returning starters at linebacker. Sisler likes how his group has come together during the spring.

"I feel like we pretty much took control of this defense," Sisler said.

Newcomers Dennis Fite, a 6-foot-5 junior college cornerback, and Sadat Sulleyman, a 6-2 greyshirt defensive end, have also impressed.

Note: Central Catholic graduate Zack Ka'ahanui, a 6-foot-1, 265-pound defensive tackle who previously played at Northern Arizona, has joined the team and will play today.